Alexander Grove invented the first fuel cell in 1839. Since then most of the fuel cell development has been primarily limited to applications supported by the government, such as the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), or to utility plants applications. However, recent developments in materials of construction and processing techniques have brought fuel cell development closer to significant commercial applications. A primary advantage of fuel cells is that fuel cells can convert stored energy to electricity with about 60–70 percent efficiency, with higher efficiencies theoretically possible. Further, fuel cells produce virtually no pollution. These advantages make fuel cells particularly suitable for vehicle propulsion applications and to replace the internal combustion engine which operates at less than 30 percent efficiency and can produce undesirable emissions.
Although fuel cells are desirable for vehicle propulsion applications, the fuel cell must be incorporated into a complicated on-board system that includes a fuel cell stack and auxiliary equipment. The following brief discussion of the operation and purpose of the fuel cell stack and its auxiliary equipment will be helpful in understanding the advantages and desirability of the present invention.